She Loves Wine's Old Fashioned Pot Roast

This is a FABULOUS recipe, your home will smell great while it's cooking and it's impressive enough to serve guests.

I often make this in the crockpot and just throw everything in, I don't brown the meat first since I don't want the added fat  and I don't coat the meat with flour if I'm using the crockpot. Just put your vegetables in the crockpot first, then the meat, then seasonings.

Note: my dad is on a very low sodium diet so if I'm making this for him, I skip the salt - this roast is so flavorful you won't miss it! .


3 - 4# Beef Chuck Roast
3 TBSP bacon fat or cooking oil (I use bacon fat, you can't beat it!)
2 TBSP Flour

1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp  dried marjoram, crushed  OR  1/4 tsp ground marjoram
1/2 tsp dried thyme , crushed  OR 1/4 tsp ground
1/4 tsp dried basil, crushed
1/4 tsp. pepper
minced garlic - a scoop or two (store bought)
8 medium carrots, halved cross-wise
4 medium onions, cut in wedges
1 Lb.  new potatoes, OR 1 # small potatoes, peeled
2 TBSP  Flour
Snipped Parsley, optional

Trim excess fat from meat. Rub meat with 2 TBSP Flour

In a Dutch oven, melt about  3 TBSP bacon grease over med-high heat (Use vegetable oil if you don't have bacon fat or are going for low sodium)

Brown meat in hot fat.Remove from heat.

Sprinkle with the seasonings.
Add at least 1 1/2 cups water  and cover with lid.
Bake at 350 degrees in oven for 1.5 hours.
Remove from oven, add carrots, onions and potatoes, sprinkle with 1/2 tsp salt.

Cover and return to oven for 45 minutes until meat and vegetables are tender.

Remove meat and vegetables to a heated platter to keep warm.

Skim fat from pan juices and add enough water to juices to make 1.5 cups of liquid. 
In a small jar or bowl, combine 1.2 cup of cold water and flour and stir until it is smooth.  Add to pan juices. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly.  Cook 1 - 2 minutes, stirring . 

Garnish with snipped parsley.

NOTES -   The above was my original recipe  that was given to me years ago. My family never liked gravy so I just served with the pan juices.

Also - We really love the flavor of this roast and vegetables cooked with it ... so often I put the carrots and onions in with the spices and added the potatoes at the last 45 minutes.  If I was pressed for time, I put all the vegetables in at the beginning.

Crockpot Pot Roast to Die For

1 beef roast, any kind( I use chuck)
1 (1 1/4 ounce) package brown gravy mix, dry
1 (1 1/4 ounce) package dried Italian salad dressing mix
1  pkg ( 1 1/4 ounce) package ranch dressing mix, dry- ONLY USE HALF
3/4 cup water
Carrots
Potatoes ( or dump in a can or two of small canned potatoes an hour or so before serving)

Place beef roast in crock pot.
Mix the dried mixes together in a bowl and sprinkle over the roast.
Pour the water around the roast.
Cook on low for 7-9 hours

Michigan Pot Roast

This is one of my favorite recipes

1 3- 5 # Chuck roast (frozen)
2 packages onion soup mix - dry

Pull off enough heavy duty foil to fold it into three layers that will be long enough when layered to wrap the roast.

In the center of the foil, sprinkle one package of the dry soup mix, place roast on top and sprinkle the additional soup mix on top of the roast. Wrap meat in the heavy duty foil (doubled). Place in baking pan with sides and put in oven at 225 or 250 early in the day. Roast will be done in the evening. Before serving, poke a hole in foil and pour off juices for gravy or just serve with the juice. Always tender and delish!!! The meat will fall off the bone.